Did Beethoven write a piece for the world's first keytar?

We ran across this fascinating instrument last month while visiting the Museum of Fine Arts in Vienna, Austria. The Orphica, invented by Karl Leopold Röllig (an official at the Vienna Court Library) in the late 18th century, is a portable "hammer piano" that could be hung from the shoulder or placed flat on a table. Although only a few were built, Ludwig van Beethoven is among the composers who wrote for it.

The instrument in the photo above was built by Joseph Dohnal in Vienna, Austria, before 1800.

Tom Brislin checks out Korg's new RK-100S, a keytar that includes a full analog-modeling synth based on the engine of the MicroKorg XL+. We'll post the full review here soon, but to be one of the first to read it, grab the October 2014 issue.